Midwinter
by omgluvr24
Summary: This is a prompt response on the D/N writer's faction. Daine and Numair are celebrating Midwinter, and their relationship is still a secret. T to be safe.


Ok, everyone this is a prompt from the D/N Writer's Faction (December round, yeah, I'm just starting that early). It's my first entry so we'll see how this goes:

Set Post RotG Pre Daine-and-Numair-tell-everyone-about-their-relationship.

**Requirements:**

1. Must be a midwinter fic (get your Christmas cheer in :) ) [And Chanukah (that was added by me)]

2. Numair must be caught in a _compromising_ position

3. Miri and Evin should be _scheming_

4. Mistletoe must play some role

5. Daine must receive an embarrassing gift

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The Midwinter ball was loud and rambunctious. So many people were there, seeing as the Immortal's War was over. In one corner sat Veralidaine Sarrasri, the Wildmage. She was glaring at the king as she moved her finger around the rim of her glass. Usually, she was not forced to attend this sort of things so therefore did not. But she was now the great WIldmage, savior of Tortall, because she fought in the war. She was seriously regretting that by this point. It was not like she could even dance with anyone, because if she danced with the certain person she wanted to dance with, their secret would be out.

"Well, you just look _so _happy to be here tonight." Daine's eyes flicked from the King to Numair. She smiled up at him sarcastically.

"Nobody ever told me that I would have to attend stupid balls if I just tried to help people. Can't they just thank me and be on their way?" Daine complained as Numair sat down next to her.

"Oh, no, you see, their Majesties decide that anyone who is important in anything has to be paraded around just to show how awesome their empire is."

"Did you just call Tortall 'awesome'?" She said, grinning.

"Well, no, I mean - I did, but I was simply using an adjective that our King and Queen would use to describe their country."

"That doesn't stop this ball from being so _boring._" Daine groaned, tilting her head up to look at the ceiling.

"Come here." Numair stood up, holding his hand out for Daine. She took it and he led her to a private garden.

"And what are we doing here?" Daine asked, looking up at him.

Numair smiled before he leaned down to kiss her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Where'd Daine go?" Miri asked Evin, her best friend.

"I dunno. Maybe off with her _secret lover!_" Evin exclaimed sarcastically as the walked through the Rider's party.

She elbowed him. "Oh, stop. But you know who she'd be so good with?" It was more of a rhetorical question, because she continued without giving Evin the chance to respond. "Numair. They would just be so _cute _together. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, you know, they would be good together." Evin said, mockingly thoughtful. Miri didn't catch the irony in his voice.

"Ooh, let's set them up. I can go get Daine and you can get Numair and we can lock them in a closet togeter..." Miri continued on. Evin just nodded, not having the heart to tell her he was being sarcastic.

"That's a great idea, Miri, let's put it into action right after - " He broke off. She halted and turned to look at him.

"Right after what? Evin, what's wrong?" Evin wordlessly pointed to the mistletoe above their heads. "Oh, quick, let's move before anyone sees." But it was too late. Evin stopping in the middle of the dance floor had attracted a lot of attention. Everyone was circling them now, waiting to see what would happen.

"Oh, c'mon Evin, kiss her, you know you want to!" One of the male rider's yelled. And without a second thought of any consequences, Evin kissed Miri. Cheers went through the crowd as Miri kissed him back.

"Shh, come on, we don't want anyone to see us." Evin whispered, leading Miri to one of the gardens. He heard a giggle. "What?" he asked, turning about to look at her.

"I didn't say anything." She said, looking around. She peered around the hedge in front of her and gasped.

"What? What?" Evin said, looking over her head. "Oooohhhhhh." They looked at each other.

"What should we do?" Miri said. Evin answered her question by leading her to the middle of the garden, where the unknown couple was kissing. He then stopped dead. Miri did too, eye's bulging. The couple was Daine and Numair, but it wasn't that which was so shocking. It was that Numair's hand was under Daine's shirt!

They were about to run away, hoping to be unnoticed, but Miri let out a squeak of surprise. Daine and Numair's heads jerked in their direction.

"Uh, hi, Miri, Evin....What are you doing here?" Daine asked, trying to seem casual. The act was ruined when Evin pointed once again, this time to Numair's hand, which was still under her shirt. He pulled it back quickly, his usually swarthy complexion red with embarrassment.

"Well, we were just....looking for you!" Evin exclaimed, trimphantly. So triumphantly that it was obvious he had just made it up. Daine raised an eyebrow."We came to do the same thing you were doing, I guess."

"Except, we're not quite to that level, so either Daine's a slut or you two have been in a relationship for a while. And I've the feeling the answer is the latter of the two." Miri said slyly.

Daine looked down and mumbled something about being tired before sprinting away. Numair looked at them awkwardly before running after her.

"Well that was..." Miri was at a loss for words.

"Let's just do what we came here to do." Evin said, leaning in.

"Happy Midwinter everyone! Here, Daine, I forgot to send this out to you. Just open it here, so I can see your reaction." Miri said, placing a small box before Daine. Numair, Alanna, George, Miri, Evin, Thayet, and Jon all looked to he, waiting for Daine to open it. She did. Inside the little box was a necklace that radiated with some sort of magic. It was a gold symbol, and she couldn't remember where she had seen it before. Then she remembered. Ma had kept them, to sell off to the ladies in Snowsdale. It was a pregnancy charm. She turned red.

"What is it Daine?" Numair asked, taking the box from her. She tried to stop him, resulting in the necklace flying out of the box and onto the table. Everyone stared at it. "Oh." Numair said flatly.

I'll let you imagine what happens from there. If you have any ideas of what does happen next, tell me, I love to hear from you. Please vote for me in the competition, especially if you like the story (and even if you don't). Reviews are, as always, very much welcome.


End file.
